Dilution valve



June 3, 1958 A. L. THOMAS, JR

DILUTION VALVE Filed Feb. 4. 1957 mm .p

I, a Ufa w H m A A United States Patent DILUTION VALVE Albert L. Thomas, Jr., Birmingham, Ala., assignor to Southern Research Institute, a corporation of Alabama Application February 4, 1957, Serial No. 638,109

Claims. (Cl. 137-597) This invention relates to a dilution valve and has for an object the provision of apparatus of the character designated which shall be adapted to intermix two fluids passing therethrough in predetermined definite proportions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a valve which shall be adapted to dilute a fluid being investigated having undetermined characteristics with a reference fluid of known characteristics in definite predetermined proportions, whereby the characteristics of the fluid being studied may be more readily ascertained.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a dilution valve in which a fluid having particles in suspension is diluted with a clear fluid in definite predetermined proportions and in whichthe fluids when mixed are passed through capillary passages whereby to produce thorough intimate mixing thereof.

As is well known in the art to which my invention relates, in order to ascertain the amount of solids in suspension in a fluid under investigation, the most practiced procedure is to dilute a sample of the fluid with a definite proportion of a clear fluid, then ascertain the amount of solids in the sample, and from that result calculate the amount of solids in the undiluted fluid. Prior devices for such purposes with which I am familiar have usually comprised a chamber into which the fluid being investigated and a clear fluid were introduced at measured flow rates, and then this mixture was sampled at measured flow rates. The difliculty of obtaining an intimate mixture of the fluids being investigated and the diluent, as well as of obtaining a mixture of definite proportions have sometimes rendered questionable the results thus obtained.

The above menioned and other diflicuties are overcome by means of my invention in which I provide a valve comprised of two cylindrical members having plane abutting end surfaces and which are rotatable relative to each other. Extending through each of the valve members are a pair of rectilinear longitudinal capillary passages identically disposed in both members which flare at the abutting ends of the valve members, each pair of passages being divided at said abutting ends by a thin partition. Inlet connections for the fluid under investigation and a diluent fluid are provided for the passages in one of the valve members, and outlet connections are provided for the corresponding passages in the other valve member. By this arrangement, the angular relation of one valve member to the other determines the degree of dilution, while the flow of the diluted fluid through the capillaryoutlet passage insures complete intimate mixing.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of my improved valve;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, looking 2,837,l l3. Patented June 3, 1958 2 in the direction of the arrows II-II of Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view'taken adjacent the junction of the two valve members showing the relationship of the valve members when set for a predetermined dilution of a fluid being investigated.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding, of my invention, I show in Fig. 1 a divided housing I the upper and lower halves of which, as viewed in the drawing, are held together by means of cap screws 11 and 12. The housing may be mounted on any suitable base, there being lugs 13 and 14 on the opposite side thereof through which fastening means, not shown, may be passed. The housing, when assembled, is provided with a cylindrical bore 16 which surrounds a cylindrical bushing 17 and holds it firmly in position.

Mounted in the bushing 17 are two valve members 18 and 19 which abut at their ends and fit snugly within the bushing' The valve member 18 is held in place in the bushing by means of a set screw 21. The lower valve member 19, as viewed in the drawing, Fig. 1, is provided with a flange 22 on its lower end which overhangs and bears against the bushing 17. A dial 23 having a hole 24 therethrough fits over the lower end of the valve member 19 and is held in place by means of screws 26 and 27 which pass through the dial into the housing 10. A washer 25 may be interposed between the dial and the housing to bear against the flange 22 of the valve member 19.

Extending axially through the valve member 19 are a pair of elongated rectilinear capillary passages 28 and 29 which, for the purpose of description may be termed inlet passages. The passages 28 and 29 flare at their outlet ends 31 and 32 adjacent the junction of the valve member 19 with the valve member 18. The valve member 18 is likewise provided with a pair of axially extending rectilinear capillary passages 33 and 34 which, for the purpose of description, may be termed outlet passages, These passages flare at their inlet ends 36 and 37 adjacent the junction with the valve member 19. The ends of the valve members 18 and 19 are provided with plane, abutting, surfaces, normal to the axes of the valve members and the passages 28 and 29 are identically disposed with respect to the passages 33 and 34 in the valve member 18. As will be seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the passages in the valve members terminate at their flaring or widened portions with a very narrow bridge, or partition 38 dividing the passages. An operating handle 41 is provided on the lower end of the valve member 19 whereby the valve member may be rotated relative to the valve member 18. The degree of angular relationship of the two valve members may be indicated by the scale 42 on the dial 23.

While it will be apparent that the fluids undergoing investigation in my improved dilution valve may be passed therethrough in either direction, for the purpose of illustration, let it be assumed that a diluent fluid is being passed through the passage 28 in the valve member 19 from a tubular connection 43 and that a fluid under investigation is being sent through the passage 29 in the valve member 19 through a tubular connection 44. Tubes 46 and 47 connected to the corresponding passages 33 and 34 of the valve member 18 serve to carry 'awaythe fluids passing through the valve. If we assume, first, that the valve member 19 is turned to such a position that the flared ends 31 and 32 of its passages are in ent fluid would pass from the connection 43 straight.

P, \& through the valve members 18 and 19 and out at the outlet connection 46, while the fluid to be investigated would pass from the connection 44 straight through the valve members 18 and 19 and out through the tubular connection 47. If, however, the two valve members be angularly disposed in the relation illustrated-diagrammatically in Fig. 4 of the drawing, it will be seen that one of the outlets would contain diluent fluid with that proportion of the fluid under investigation represented by the angle a. The other outlet would contain the fluid under investigation plus that proportion of diluent fluid represented by the angle b. By turning the operating handle 41, the valve 19'may be turned to any predetermined angular relationwith respect to the valve member 18 and'the dilution obtained would be approximately in direct proportion to the angular relationship of the two valve members. it will be understood of course that in obtaining this predetermined degree of dilution it is assumed that the resistances in both of the input lines are equal to each other and that the resistances in the output lines are also equal to each other. It will also be seen that varying the angular relationship of the valve members does not vary the cross sectional area of the passages therein. This beingso, the total flow in each of the four passages is independent of the valve setting. The fact that the passages through the valve members are rectilinear, without bends, insures that variations in the angular relation of the valve members do not introduce any mechanical impedence that would vary the, characteristics of the fluid being investigated.

It will be understood. also that the outlet connection for the fluid under investigation may be connected to any suitable, known apparatus, not shown, for ascertaining the characteristics of the diluted fluid.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have devised an improved dilution valve which is simple of construction and operation and by means of which accurately proportioned diluted fluids may be obtained.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so imited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a dilution valve, a pair of relatively rotatable valve members having plane end surfaces normal to the longitudinal axes thereof and abutting end to end, each of said members having identical pairs of longitudinal rectilinear passages extending therethrough from end to end, each passage in said pair of passages flaring adjacent its terminus at the abutting surface to provide a narrow partition between each pair of passages, whereby the passages in one valve member are connected with the passages in the other valve member and fluids may be passed 4 therethrough, means to introduce a fluid to be diluted into one of the passages in one of the members, means to introduce a diluent fluid into the other passage of said memher, and means to vary the angular relation of the members relative to each other.

2. In a dilution valve, a pair of relatively rotatable cylindrical valve members having plane abutting surfaces normal to the longitudinal axes thereof, each of said valve members having a pair. of longitudinally extending rectilinear capillary passages therethrough terminating at the abutting surfaces, said passages being similarly disposed in the pair of valve members whereby the passages in one valve member are connected with the passages in the other at their abutting surfaces, said passages all flaring adjacent the abutting surfaces of the valve members, a relatively narrow partition dividing the passages in both valve members at their abutting surfaces, means to rotate the valve members into predetermined angular relation with each other, means to introduce a fluid being investigated into one of the passages of one of said valve members, and means to introduce a diluent fluid into the other of said passages, whereby the fluid being investigated is diluted by the diluent fluid in approximately direct proportion to the angular disposition of the valve members.

3. In a dilution valve, avalve member having a pair of parallel elongated rectilinear capillary inlet passages extending therethrough and flaring at their outlet ends with a relatively narrow bridge therebetween, a second valve member having a pair of elongated capillary outlet passages extending therethrough and flaring at their inlet ends with a relatively narrow bridge therebetween, .said valve members having plane abutting, end surfaces with the outlet ends of the inlet passages of the first mentioned member connected'to the inlet ends of the outlet passages of the second mentioned member, means to introduce a fluid to be investigated into one of the inlet passages, means to introduce a reference fluidinto the other inlet passage,'outlet conduits connected to the outlet passages, and means to vary the angular relation between the two valve members.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3'in which the valve members are both. cylindrical in shape andare housed in a snugly fitting cylindrical bushing, means securing one of the valve members in saidbushing, and operating and indicating means connected to the other valve member to vary the angular relationship therebetween.

5. Apparatus as defined'in claim 4'in which the bushing is mounted in and firmly held by a divided housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

